After initially postponing a meeting at which they planned to review a $500 million bid from freight and logistics company VarigLog due to reported changes in the offer, Varig creditors late Monday decided to reject the bid, forcing the Sao Paulo stock exchange to suspend trading in Varig stock briefly after a rush to sell, according to press reports, and leaving Brazil's flag carrier on the cusp of liquidation.
Emirates boosts 747-8 order book with freighter buy Pratt won't offer engine for A350 XWB DAE looks forward to exciting times ahead 787 on time and on target, dash 10 definitely a go: Bair Afriqiyah commits to up to 20 Airbus jets Aviation Capital Group identified as customer for 14 737NGs Farnborough News from July 17, July 18
EU and US FAA yesterday announced the execution of an MOU at Farnborough that "secures enhanced cooperation in building a more efficient and seamless air traffic system between Europe and the US," FAA said. "As FAA moves forward with its aggressive air traffic modernization efforts, it's vital that we coordinate with our global partners," Administrator Marion Blakey said.
Mandarin Airlines, a Regional subsidiary of China Airlines, signed a letter of intent with GE for an eight-year OnPoint Solutions agreement for MRO of the CF34-10Es that will power its new Embraer 190/195 aircraft.
Finnair said it has negotiated a compensation package with Airbus to cover the delays in the introduction of the A350, a revamped version of which was unveiled yesterday at the Farnborough Airshow (see today's show report above). Terms of the compensation deal were not disclosed. Finnair originally planned to take the first of nine firm A350s in the spring of 2012. That has been pushed back to 2013.
US Airways signed a five-year, full-content distribution agreement with Worldspan. The airline also unveiled an expanded codeshare agreement with Star Alliance partner TAP Portugal to include additional destinations on both sides of the Atlantic. Separately, it will launch thrice-weekly Las Vegas-Nashville service on Oct. 5 with an A319.
NAV Canada will withdraw its three-year-old 2% service charge on Sept. 1. The fee was instituted in order to rebuild the Rate Stabilization Account to C$50 million ($44.3 million) from a C$116 million deficit. The account had C$73 million as of May 31. NAV Canada said the decision was due in part to a Supreme Court of Canada decision that allowed it to recover C$8 million in unpaid customer service charges.
ANA said it has become the first Japanese carrier to implement a Line Operations Safety Audit program. From the end of August, approximately 250 flights will be monitored by trained TLC observers based in Texas. The review process will take six months and be repeated every 3-5 years.
Etihad Airways will launch daily Abu Dhabi-New York JFK service from Oct. 26 aboard A340-500s. It is its second North American destination after Toronto. Copa Airlines launched five-times-weekly Panama City-Manaus service last weekend aboard Embraer 190s. Cargoitalia launched twice-weekly Milan Malpensa-Houston Bush flights aboard DC10-30Fs.
Varig creditors meeting, scheduled for yesterday to evaluate VarigLog's bid for the bankrupt airline ( ATWOnline, July 12), was postponed after the freight and logistics company altered its offer, Bloomberg News reported.
American Airlines yesterday announced a redesigned business-class section on its 767-300s and 777s that includes lie-flat seats, personal inflight entertainment systems and other features that many of its competitors already have implemented on long-haul service. AA has installed the changes on one 767-300 and plans to complete the revamp on its remaining 57 dash 300s and begin retrofits of its 777 business cabins early next year.
US Senate passed an amendment introduced by Sen. Dick Durban (D-Ill.) that orders the Dept. of Homeland Security to develop new procedures to quickly eliminate the names of individuals incorrectly placed in the database of suspected terrorists, either because they were placed there in error or because their names are similar to those that belong in the database. Current clearance procedures require passengers to present a letter to airline employees each time they fly.
Boeing in talks to sell 1,000 more 787s New CEO acknowledges crisis, vows to restore confidence in Airbus Airbus launches A350 'extra wide body' Lion Air doubles 737 order GoAir goes for A320 PowerJet conducts first test run of new regional jet engine Additional stories Farnborough News from July 17
Northwest Airlines reached a new tentative agreement on wage and benefit reductions with its flight attendants yesterday, striking an accord on $195 million in annual cuts that averts a potential work action and seemingly paves the way for the carrier's eventual emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
United Airlines said it will move its headquarters and 350 management employees to downtown Chicago from its current facility near O'Hare. It also will consolidate several suburban facilities into an Operations Center at its Elk Grove campus. UA is receiving $5.25 million in tax increment financing from the city and $1.35 million from the state of Illinois. Both city and state will introduce legislation to cap the jet fuel tax for the next five years.
Germanwings said it will expand its Cologne Bonn hub and base another six aircraft there by 2009. The carrier, which took delivery of the first of 18 new A319s Friday, plans to increase passenger numbers at CGN in the next three years by more than 1 million per year to 4.6 million. It will use the new capacity to boost frequencies and add new destinations; it is evaluating cites in France, Israel and North Africa.
Spirit Airlines announced last week that Indigo Partners, the Arizona-based investment firm run by former America West Airlines head William Franke and Oaktree Capital Management of California, which already was a Spirit investor, "will provide significant resources for the Company to consolidate its position as the leading low-cost carrier to the Caribbean and pursue its long-term growth strategy."
Ukraine International Airlines completed the first D check on a 737, the first overhaul of a Western aircraft in a CIS country. UIA was the first CIS carrier to receive JAR 145 approval to perform full maintenance on Western aircraft.
FedEx revealed Friday that it received a grand jury subpoena in June relating to a wide-ranging multigovernment probe into possible anticompetitive practices by air cargo carriers. "We have no reason to believe that we are a target of the investigation, and we are cooperating with the [US Dept. of Justice]," FedEx said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
ExelTech Aerospace was selected by Caribbean Star Airlines and Caribbean Sun Airlines to provide heavy MRO for the carriers' Dash 8 fleets. Under the deal's initial terms, ExelTech will perform airframe structural inspections and interior and exterior upgrades on eight aircraft in Quebec City. The work is valued at C$1.5-C$3 million ($1.3-$2.7 million).
Iberia said it was back to its full flight schedule Friday "with very few exceptions" following conclusion of a three-day pilots strike ( ATWOnline, July 13). "Iberia is glad the strike has ended, and thanks its customers for their confidence and their understanding in these difficult circumstances.
Farnborough, July 17, 2006 Boeing likely to stretch 747-8 Intercontinental to match freighter version CFM International enjoys strong sales year as LEAP 56 progresses IAE says V2500 Select is on target Qatar set to confirm major 777 order Air Europa takes to Blended Winglets Additional stories
North American Airlines began weekly service between Baltimore/Washington International and Banjul with continuing service to Accra. It also added a second weekly flight between New York JFK and Accra.
